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<channel>
	<title>offtopicrant</title>
	<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress</link>
	<description>Some general comments on national politics</description>
	<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:45:41 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Hillary might actually be the stronger candidate</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/24/hillary-might-actually-be-the-stronger-candidate/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/24/hillary-might-actually-be-the-stronger-candidate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 May 2008 02:49:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>Uncategorized</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/24/hillary-might-actually-be-the-stronger-candidate/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[]]></description>
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			<wfw:commentRSS>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/24/hillary-might-actually-be-the-stronger-candidate/feed/</wfw:commentRSS>
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		<title>Hillary as manager (an incompetent one)</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/10/hillary-as-manager-an-incompetent-one/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/10/hillary-as-manager-an-incompetent-one/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 10 May 2008 04:14:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>Uncategorized</category>
	<category>President 08</category>
	<category>Hillary Clinton</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/10/hillary-as-manager-an-incompetent-one/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ann Althouse uses some information from a Time article to point out what an incompetent administrator/executive that Hillary Clinton is.

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a target="_blank" href="http://althouse.blogspot.com/2008/05/lets-judge-hillary-clintons-executive.html">Ann Althouse uses some information</a> from a <em>Time</em> article to point out what an incompetent administrator/executive that Hillary Clinton is.
</p>
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		<title>Clinton v. Obama v. McCain</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/07/clinton-v-obama-v-mccain/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/07/clinton-v-obama-v-mccain/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 19:19:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>Uncategorized</category>
	<category>President 08</category>
	<category>Hillary Clinton</category>
	<category>Barack Obama</category>
	<category>John McCain</category>
	<category>Presidential Issues</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/07/clinton-v-obama-v-mccain/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ann Althouse quotes the NYT
There are few policy differences between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama. But there is a vast gulf between Mr. McCain and the two Democrats — and far too little difference between Mr. McCain and President Bush.
I would have said it differently.  I don&#8217;t see any serious policy differences between Clinton [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ann Althouse quotes the NYT</p>
<blockquote><p>There are few policy differences between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama. But there is a vast gulf between Mr. McCain and the two Democrats — and far too little difference between Mr. McCain and President Bush.</p></blockquote>
<p>I would have said it differently.  I don&#8217;t see any serious policy differences between Clinton and McCain
</p>
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		<title>McCain&#8217;s views on the Supreme Court</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/07/mccains-views-on-the-supreme-court/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/07/mccains-views-on-the-supreme-court/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2008 19:09:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>Uncategorized</category>
	<category>President 08</category>
	<category>John McCain</category>
	<category>Presidential Issues</category>
	<category>Supreme Court</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/05/07/mccains-views-on-the-supreme-court/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Not everybody has the same point of view and McCain&#8217;s attitudes on federal judges.

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Not everybody has the same <a target="_blank" href="http://www.theagitator.com/2008/05/07/about-them-judges/">point</a> of <a target="_blank" href="http://althouse.blogspot.com/2008/05/mccains-judges.html">view</a> and McCain&#8217;s attitudes on federal judges.
</p>
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		<title>Huckabee on race relations</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/03/21/huckabee-on-race-relations/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/03/21/huckabee-on-race-relations/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:49:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>Uncategorized</category>
	<category>Barack Obama</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/03/21/huckabee-on-race-relations/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I really don&#8217;t understand all the outrage about Obama&#8217;s preacher and his angry black man act.  Are we actually surprised that some old black guy is angry about the past?  That surprises us?  Get a grip.
I&#8217;m proud of what Huckabee had to say about it.  I might have been wrong about whether or not he&#8217;d [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I really don&#8217;t understand all the outrage about Obama&#8217;s preacher and his angry black man act.  Are we actually surprised that some old black guy is angry about the past?  That surprises us?  Get a grip.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m proud of what Huckabee had to say about it.  I might have been wrong about whether or not he&#8217;d have made a good president.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>And one other thing I think we’ve gotta remember. As easy as it is for those  of us who are white, to look back and say “That’s a terrible statement!”…I grew  up in a very segregated south. And I think that you have to cut some slack — and  I’m gonna be probably the only Conservative in America who’s gonna say something  like this, but I’m just tellin’ you — we’ve gotta cut some slack to people who  grew up being called names, being told “you have to sit in the balcony when you  go to the movie. You have to go to the back door to go into the restaurant. And  you can’t sit out there with everyone else. There’s a separate waiting room in  the doctor’s office. Here’s where you sit on the bus…” And you know what?  Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have  to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had  more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me.</p></blockquote>
<p>H/T to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.theagitator.com/2008/03/19/huckabee-on-obama-wright/">The Agitator</a> for the quote.
</p>
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		<title>Intrade positions on the presidential race</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/02/24/intrade-positions-on-the-presidential-race/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/02/24/intrade-positions-on-the-presidential-race/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:36:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>President 08</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/02/24/intrade-positions-on-the-presidential-race/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I lost some money on a short position for John McCain getting the Republican nomination.  I just didn&#8217;t think they&#8217;d go for somebody his age.  I&#8217;ve unwound that position so it didn&#8217;t totally wipe me out, but I took a hit on it.
Positions I&#8217;m currently in &#8211;
Long Obama for the Democratic nomination.  This one looks [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I lost some money on a short position for John McCain getting the Republican nomination.  I just didn&#8217;t think they&#8217;d go for somebody his age.  I&#8217;ve unwound that position so it didn&#8217;t totally wipe me out, but I took a hit on it.</p>
<p>Positions I&#8217;m currently in &#8211;</p>
<p>Long Obama for the Democratic nomination.  This one looks like a money-maker for me and I&#8217;ll probably just ride it until expiration.</p>
<p>Long Edwards for the Democratic nomination.  I took this position back when he was running third in a 3 man race.  It was trading at a really low price and I thought the market was underestimating his chances.  The value of this option is now so low that it&#8217;s pretty much pointless to try to unwind the position.  I&#8217;ll probably just let it expire worthless.</p>
<p>Short Gore for Democratic VP nomination.  Why anybody would think Gore would have any interest at all in running for VP is beyond my ability to comprehend.  Shorting this position just looked like free money to me.  I&#8217;ll probably ride it to expiration also.</p>
<p>Short a combo presidential race of Clinton v. McCain.  It&#8217;s the only position shorting McCain that I&#8217;m still holding.  Essentially it&#8217;s just a long position on Obama.</p>
<p>Short McCain as the Republican VP nominee.  Huckabee get the nomination and tap McCain as a running mate?  I don&#8217;t think so.  McCain preferring a VP job to suicide?  Not a chance. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> 
</p>
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		<title>McCain the drug warrior</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/02/03/mccain-the-drug-warrior/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/02/03/mccain-the-drug-warrior/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2008 03:43:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>John McCain</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2008/02/03/mccain-the-drug-warrior/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Columbia Journalism Review has a list of questions they think journalists should ask McCain.  They leave one off the list though. 
They should be asking him what we should do with drug addicts who steal from charities to feed their habits.
We don&#8217;t need a drug warrior president and we don&#8217;t need a president who thinks laws [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&#038;post=61" target="_blank">Columbia Journalism Review has a list of questions</a> they think journalists should ask McCain.  They leave one off the list though. </p>
<p>They should be asking him what we should <a href="http://www.theagitator.com/2008/02/03/cindy-mccains-painkiller-problem/" target="_blank">do with drug addicts</a> who steal from charities to feed their habits.</p>
<p>We don&#8217;t need a drug warrior president and we don&#8217;t need a president who thinks laws apply only to other people.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> 
</p>
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		<title>Susan Collins, (R) Sen Maine</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2007/10/04/susan-collins-r-sen-maine/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2007/10/04/susan-collins-r-sen-maine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:28:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>Uncategorized</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2007/10/04/susan-collins-r-sen-maine/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Susan Collins seems to have some problems with campaign ethics.

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=Home.Home&#038;IsTextOnly=false&#038;IsSkipSplash=true" target="_blank">Susan Collins</a> seems to have some <a href="http://www.americablog.com/2007/10/susan-collins-consummate-negative.html">problems with campaign ethics</a>.
</p>
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		<title>Pick a candidate</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2007/10/03/pick-a-candidate/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2007/10/03/pick-a-candidate/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:53:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>Uncategorized</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2007/10/03/pick-a-candidate/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Although most of us think issues matter, once you get into a voting booth they don&#8217;t really matter.  It&#8217;s how a candidate makes you feel that matters.
But this is an interesting tool for finding candidates that do share your opinions on issues of the day.
 

]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Although most of us think issues matter, once you get into a voting booth they don&#8217;t really matter.  It&#8217;s how a candidate makes you feel that matters.</p>
<p>But <a href="http://www.vajoe.com/candidate_calculator.html" target="_blank">this is an interesting tool</a> for finding candidates that do share your opinions on issues of the day.</p>
<p> 
</p>
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		<title>Kathy Castor (D FL Rep)</title>
		<link>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2007/08/01/kathy-castor-d-fl-rep/</link>
		<comments>http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2007/08/01/kathy-castor-d-fl-rep/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:39:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Gary</dc:creator>
		
	<category>Uncategorized</category>
	<category>democrats</category>
	<category>House</category>
	<category>Florida</category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.offtopicrant.com/wordpress/2007/08/01/kathy-castor-d-fl-rep/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[11th District of Florida, Tampa.
Watched her give a speech on CSPAN.  She&#8217;s using the old Regean technique of using some person (in her case an old high school classmate) to illustrate some problem (in this speech it was about the need for universal health care for children).
It worked for Regean, mostly because I think he [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>11th District of Florida, Tampa.</p>
<p>Watched her give a speech on CSPAN.  She&#8217;s using the old Regean technique of using some person (in her case an old high school classmate) to illustrate some problem (in this speech it was about the need for universal health care for children).</p>
<p>It worked for Regean, mostly because I think he tended to actually think in terms of andectotes.  It doesn&#8217;t work for her, it comes across as very phony.
</p>
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